Celtics, Paul Pierce nip Mavericks in double overtime

Bill Doyle TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Published Thursday December 13, 2012 at 6:00 am

The longest game of the Celtics season turned out to be the most rewarding. The Celtics needed double overtime, but they managed to snap a four-game losing streak against the Mavericks by posting a 117-115 victory last night at the Garden.

PHOTO/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Celtics' Chris Wilcox (44) goes to the basket against the Mavericks' Shawn Marion during the first quarter.

The longest game of the Celtics season turned out to be the most rewarding.

The Celtics needed double overtime, but they managed to snap a four-game losing streak against the Mavericks by posting a 117-115 victory last night at the Garden.

Paul Pierce scored a season-high 34 points to match his uniform number and lead the Celtics to their fourth consecutive home victory.

Rajon Rondo came within a rebound of another triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 15 assists and 9 rebounds. Kevin Garnett also scored 16 points. Jeff Green had 15 off the bench. Jason Terry scored 10 against his former team.

The outcome wasn't decided until Darren Collison threw away the inbounds pass with 5.3 seconds left in the second overtime. The Celtics led, 115-112, at the time, and Dallas could have tied it with a 3-pointer. It was last of the 28 turnovers for Dallas, and Boston scored 34 points off them.

“We're been trapping,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “I've been talking about it a lot, and over the last seven games, it's been paying dividends for us. It's been terrific. I also told our guys were broke our reflection for deflections.”

Forcing the turnovers helped the Celtics win even though Dallas shot 51.1 percent and Boston only 43 percent.

Courtney Lee clinched the game by making two with free throws with 4.1 seconds to play. O.J. Mayo hit a meaningless 3-pointer at the buzzer. Mayo led Dallas with 24 points, but the Celtics forced him into nine turnovers.

Pierce opened the second overtime with a 3-pointer, and the Celtics never lost the lead. Pierce's free throw with 19.3 seconds left made it 111-107, but Vince Carter's trey made it a one-point game. Pierce made four free throws to Collison's two before Lee clinched it at the line.

The Celtics had the final shot to win in regulation and the first overtime, but Rondo couldn't get off a clean jumper in regulation after Derek Fisher reached in to get a hand on the ball, and Pierce missed a 19-footer after he appeared to get hit on the arm by Dahntay Jones.

Rondo played 52-1/2 minutes, Terry nearly 48, Pierce 44 and Garnett 40. All were season highs except for Pierce, who came up one minute short of his. Of course, that should be expected in Boston's first double-overtime game. The Celtics improved to 3-1 in OT, but the others ended after one extra session.

Mayo's drive with 11.1 seconds left concluded the scoring in the first OT and tied the score, 105-105.

The Celtics led by 14 in the third quarter but couldn't hold off Dallas until the end.

Fisher hit a 3-pointer over Pierce with 1:47 left in regulation to give the Mavericks their first lead, 95-94. Pierce answered with a jumper over Fisher with 1:30 left to put Boston back on top. They were Pierce's first points since 8:58 remained in the third quarter. With 1:09 left, referee ruled the ball went out of bounds off Boston, and the call stood after a video review. Rajon Rondo fouled Mayo with 52 seconds left, and he made one of two foul shots to tie it at 96-96.

Collison lost his job as starting point guard to Fisher, who signed with the Mavs in late November, but he hurt the Celtics with his speed off the bench last night and scored 20 points. Collison drove the length of the court for a layup that pulled Dallas even, 92-92, with 2:20 left.

Collison scored nine points in the third quarter. With Garnett resting on the Celtics bench, Collison scored seven points during a 14-4 run that pulled Dallas within 72-68.

Rondo hit an 18-footer as the quarter ended and opened the fourth with a layup to boost Boston's lead to 78-70.

Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki hasn't played all season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in October. Shawn Marion started for Dallas after missing the previous two games with a strained groin and had 16 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists.

Mayo came in leading Dallas in scoring with 20.8 points a game, and he poured in a career-high 40 at Houston on Saturday.